It’s hard to believe at this point, but there was a time when we were sure that Lea Michele’s bangs would remain her beauty signature forever. The star’s straight-across fringe accompanied her everywhere she went — through updos, ponytails, and shiny blowouts. Then, she elected to grow them out, transitioning from one hair era into the next. As much as we love Lea’s current ‘do, we’ll always have a soft spot for the bangs, which is why we were so delighted to see her bring them back in the coolest way this weekend. She showed up to the iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas with a super-high, braided ponytail that perfectly offset her smoky eyes and studded frock.

The definite focal point of the look, though, were the BANGS. Wispy, eyebrow grazing, and bookended by longer strands, they brought us way back to another time. For a moment, we weren’t sure how the transformation had happened, since her latest ‘dos have all been conspicuously fringe-free.

“For the festival we wanted to do something fun, but weren’t quite ready to commit her to bangs again so we clipped them in,” reveals celebrity stylist Laura Polko. To create the look, she prepped Lea’s strands with R+Co Rockaway Salt Spray, working it through with the Harry Josh Pro Dryer. After pulling the hair back into a high ponytail and securing it with a Scunci hair tie, she clipped in fake bangs and gave them a quick trim to blend them in with the rest of the ‘do. A quick coat of Oribe Original Pomade and L’Oreal Elnett Satin Extra Strong Hold Hairspray finished the throwback style, and kept it in place all night long. Lea might have gone back to her bangs temporarily, but this is definitely a look we’ll love forever.